London underground in the palm of your hand
3rd July 09
Posted in interactive, mobile, technology
Wow, we’ve all become over-exposed to the hype around augmented reality, but we’re starting to see applications emerging which genuinely seem to add value and utility, rather than just make you go “cool!”
We spotted this simple, still slightly rough-looking, but potentially amazing app for the iPhone, which works off the phone’s video function. Currently only available for the London Underground, and for those lucky enough to have a 3GS, but follow-up apps across broader geographies and platforms can’t be far behind.
When you load the app, holding it flat, all 13 lines of the London underground are displayed in coloured arrows. By tilting the phone upwards, you will see the nearest stations: what direction they are in relation to your location, how many kilometres and miles away they are and what tube lines they are on. If you continue to tilt the phone upwards, you will see stations further away, as stacked icons.
Geo applications and brand experience-based applications seem to be emerging as two of the most interesting playgrounds for AR - we’ve certainly started putting our heads together on a couple of the brands we work with. Watch this space.
(For some existing BBH work that uses AR, see BBH Asia-Pacific’s work for WWF).
Thanks to Tim Bradshaw (@Tim) for bringing this to our attention this morning.
9 comments on “London underground in the palm of your hand”
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Ben Malbon
[...] Via BBH Labs [...]
[...] world has value added to it through computer generated data. Here is an example I came across from BBH Labs that looks potentially [...]
[...] world has value added to it through computer generated data. Here is an example I came across from BBH Labs that looks potentially [...]
This is a very strong concept. To most people the new 3GS has the basic-seeming improvements of a video camera and compass; but this is the first time a combination of a compass, gps and AR has the opportunity for widespread use. To be able to tell exactly where a person is and what direction they are facing opens a lot of doors.
Excellent.
Interactively using 3D space present a multitude of interesting opportunities.
I think that something aligned to project Natal from XBOX in a mobile application could be a next step?
True utilities like this will be the drivers for mainstream AR. My mum would use this, always my test of a good app
Check out http://www.layar.com to see a fab AR equivalent on the streets of Amsterdam - this time for Android. iPhone app no doubt not far behind!
Android is likely to be ahead of the iphone platform on the use of AR.
While AR is possible on the iphone it tends to make use of private API’s (for getting camera data before a picture has actually been taken, or with the video camera) and as such doesn’t actually make it onto the app store. Be very careful when proposing this kind of thing on the app store.
If you are looking for iPhone developers / consultants go to http://www.iphonedesign.se/index_eng.htm